Vehicle remote start functionality

1. A method of operating a vehicle using wireless communications, the method comprising: receiving a remote vehicle ignition start request via a wireless signal, wherein the remote vehicle ignition start request is a request to start an ignition of the vehicle; when the remote vehicle ignition start request is received, obtaining vehicle state information including a vehicle operating state and/or a vehicle environmental state, wherein the vehicle state information is based at least partly on one or more sensor readings from one or more vehicle sensors that are installed on or within the vehicle, and wherein the obtaining of the vehicle state information includes recalling the sensor readings from a computer-readable memory device included in the vehicle or receiving the sensor readings from the one or more vehicle sensors via a communications bus included in the vehicle; in response to receiving the remote vehicle ignition start request, selecting one or more remote start operating parameters based at least partly on the obtained vehicle state information; and after selecting the one or more remote start operating parameters, carrying out the remote command request according to the one or more selected remote start operating parameters, wherein the selection of the one or more remote start operating parameters includes selecting any one or more of the following: a first reduced remote start time when it is determined that the vehicle is within an enclosed space; a second reduced remote start time when it is determined that the fuel level of the vehicle is lower than a fuel level threshold; a vehicle storage facility door open function when it is determined that the vehicle is within the enclosed space; an extended remote start time when it is determined that an ambient temperature of the vehicle is below a minimum temperature threshold or when it is determined that the ambient temperature of the vehicle is above a maximum temperature threshold; a windshield defogger function when it is determined that snow is on the windshield; and/or a seat heating and/or steering wheel heating function when it is determined that the ambient temperature of the vehicle is below the minimum temperature threshold, and wherein the selection of the one or more remote start operating parameters includes either selecting the first reduced remote start time when it is determined that the vehicle is within the enclosed space or selecting the vehicle storage facility door open function when it is determined that the vehicle is within the enclosed space, wherein the determination of whether the vehicle is within the enclosed space is based at least partly on vehicle proximity sensor readings or vehicle storage facility door status information, wherein the vehicle proximity sensor readings are obtained from one or more proximity sensors included on the vehicle, and wherein the vehicle storage facility door status information includes an indication of whether a vehicle storage facility door is in an open or a closed position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection of the remote start operating parameters includes selecting the vehicle storage facility door open function when it is determined that the vehicle is within the enclosed space and when it is determined the vehicle is located at the vehicle storage facility, wherein the vehicle storage facility is associated with the vehicle, and wherein the determination of whether the vehicle is located at the vehicle storage facility includes comparing a geographical location of the vehicle to a geographical location of the vehicle storage facility or receiving one or more short-range wireless communication signals at a wireless communications device included in the vehicle from a short-range wireless communication device that is located at or near the vehicle storage facility.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals at a GNSS receiver included in the vehicle; determining the geographical location of the vehicle by processing the GNSS signals at the GNSS receiver; sending the geographical location of the vehicle to a remote server, wherein the remote server is configured to access a database to obtain a geographical location of the vehicle storage facility and to carry out a comparison of the geographical location of the vehicle to the location of the vehicle storage facility to determine whether the vehicle is located at the vehicle storage facility; receiving a vehicle location status message that is based on the comparison of the geographical location of the vehicle to the location of the vehicle storage facility; and in response to receiving the vehicle location status message, obtaining the vehicle proximity sensor readings or the vehicle storage facility door status information.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of when it is determined that the vehicle is within the enclosed space and when it is determined the vehicle is located at the vehicle storage facility, then transmitting a vehicle storage facility door open signal using a garage door remote included in the vehicle thereby causing the vehicle storage facility door at the vehicle storage facility to move from the closed position to the open position.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle state information includes a location of the vehicle.

6. A method of operating a vehicle using wireless communications, the method comprising: receiving a remote vehicle ignition start request via a wireless signal, wherein the remote vehicle ignition start request is a request to start an ignition of the vehicle; when the remote vehicle ignition start request is received, obtaining vehicle state information including a vehicle operating state and/or a vehicle environmental state, wherein the vehicle state information is based at least partly on one or more sensor readings from one or more vehicle sensors that are installed on or within the vehicle, and wherein the obtaining of the vehicle state information includes recalling the sensor readings from a computer-readable memory device included in the vehicle or receiving the sensor readings from the one or more vehicle sensors via a communications bus included in the vehicle; in response to receiving the remote vehicle ignition start request, selecting one or more remote start operating parameters based at least partly on the obtained vehicle state information; and after selecting the one or more remote start operating parameters, carrying out the remote command request according to the one or more selected remote start operating parameters, wherein the selection of the one or more remote start operating parameters includes selecting any one or more of the following: a first reduced remote start time when it is determined that the vehicle is within an enclosed space; a second reduced remote start time when it is determined that the fuel level of the vehicle is lower than a fuel level threshold; a vehicle storage facility door open function when it is determined that the vehicle is within the enclosed space; an extended remote start time when it is determined that an ambient temperature of the vehicle is below a minimum temperature threshold or when it is determined that the ambient temperature of the vehicle is above a maximum temperature threshold; a windshield defogger function when it is determined that snow is on the windshield; and/or a seat heating and/or steering wheel heating function when it is determined that the ambient temperature of the vehicle is below the minimum temperature threshold, and wherein the ambient temperature of the vehicle is determined through use of a digital thermometer located at the vehicle, wherein it is determined that snow is on the windshield through use of a precipitation sensor installed on the vehicle, and wherein the selection of the remote start operating parameters includes selecting one or more of the following: the extended remote start time when it is determined that the ambient temperature of the vehicle is below the minimum temperature threshold or when it is determined that the ambient temperature of the vehicle is above the maximum temperature threshold; the windshield defogger function when it is determined that snow is on the windshield; and/or the seat heating and/or steering wheel heating function when it is determined that the ambient temperature of the vehicle is below the minimum temperature threshold.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the selection of the remote start operating parameters includes selecting the second reduced remote start time when it is determined that the fuel level of the vehicle is lower than the fuel level threshold, and wherein the fuel level of the vehicle is determined by recalling a last measured vehicle fuel level from the computer-readable memory device or by, in response to receiving the remote vehicle ignition start request, using a fuel gauge included in the vehicle to measure the fuel level of the vehicle.

8. A method of operating a vehicle using wireless communications, the method comprising: receiving a remote vehicle ignition start request, wherein the remote vehicle ignition start request is a request to start an ignition of the vehicle, and wherein the remote vehicle ignition start request originated at a home automation controller that is included at a vehicle storage facility or a location adjacent to the vehicle storage facility; when the remote vehicle ignition start request is received, obtaining vehicle state information including a vehicle operating state and/or a vehicle environmental state, wherein the vehicle state information is based at least partly on one or more sensor readings from one or more vehicle sensors that are installed on or within the vehicle; in response to receiving the remote vehicle ignition start request, selecting one or more remote start operating parameters based at least partly on the obtained vehicle state information, wherein the selection of the one or more remote start operating parameters includes selecting any one or more of the following: a first reduced remote start time when it is determined that the vehicle is within an enclosed space of the vehicle storage facility; a second reduced remote start time when it is determined that the fuel level of the vehicle is lower than a fuel level threshold; a vehicle storage facility door open function when it is determined that the vehicle is within the enclosed space of the vehicle storage facility; an extended remote start time when it is determined that an ambient temperature of the vehicle is below a minimum temperature threshold or when it is determined that the ambient temperature of the vehicle is above a maximum temperature threshold; a windshield defogger function when it is determined that snow is on the windshield; and/or a seat heating and/or steering wheel heating function when it is determined that the ambient temperature of the vehicle is below the minimum temperature threshold; and after selecting the one or more operating parameters, carrying out the remote command request according to the one or more selected remote start operating parameters, and wherein the selection of the one or more remote start operating parameters includes either selecting the first reduced remote start time when it is determined that the vehicle is within the enclosed space or selecting the vehicle storage facility door open function when it is determined that the vehicle is within the enclosed space, wherein the determination of whether the vehicle is within the enclosed space is based at least partly on vehicle proximity sensor readings or vehicle storage facility door status information, wherein the vehicle proximity sensor readings are obtained from one or more proximity sensors included on the vehicle, and wherein the vehicle storage facility door status information includes an indication of whether a vehicle storage facility door is in an open or a closed position.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the remote vehicle ignition start request is sent from the home automation controller, wherein the remote vehicle ignition start request is embodied in one or more radio frequency (RF) remote start codes, and wherein the home automation controller is issued the one or more RF remote start codes from a remote server.